Saturday, September 3, 2022, Cardiff, Wales plays host to WWE for Clash at the Castle. Below I will cover the action as it happens. Without further ado, let’s dive into the show.
Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, and Asuka vs. Damage Control (Bayley, IO Sky, and Dakota Kai)
The first match of the show we see Bayley and crew debut their new group entrance song, which is fire. We start the match with melee and get the first big pop with a triple suplex. During the match, over 60,000 fans make themselves heard. Bayley and crew show great team chemistry with their attacks. They make multiple quick tags and tag team moves to keep Asuka isolated in their corner.
Bianca and her team are able to get back in the match to keep the crowd hype, but it was not enough to get past the teamwork of Damage Control. Bianca Belair was able to gain control of the match against Dakota Kai and got her up for the KOD, only to have IO grab Dakota’s leg from the outside of the ring. With this delay, Bayley was able to get back in the corner to grab Bianca by the braid, giving Dakota enough time to hit Bianca with her corner kick and tag in IO. After the tag, IO tag in Bayley to keep Bianca off guard. Bayley plants Belair with the Rose plant, setting her up for the moonsault from IO. Bayley covers Bianca for the 3 count.
Shaemus Vs. Gunther for the Intercontinental Title
The second match of the card is what we expected to be the hardest-hitting match of the show. During Gunther’s entrance, we see Imperium put back together with the introduction of Giovanni Vinci to the main roster. Much like Smackdown 2 weeks ago, Shaemus and Gunther staring each other down while their teams are battling around them and the 2 men are unphased by it.
The bell rings and they start clubbing each other with devastating strikes. 30 seconds into the match, we see the chest of Shaemus turning Kool-Aid red because of the chops coming from Gunther. The match spills outside and Gunther body slams Shaemus onto the steel steps by the announce table. Shaemus is able to get back in the ring before the 10-count, only to be met by more violence from Gunther.
With each blow these men throw at each other, it sounds like they are hitting each other with tree trunks. They go blow for blow and mix a few slams in between each haymaker. Shaemus gets Gunther on the announce table and starts beating on the chest of the champion. Gunther is able to escape but is caught on the ring apron for more pounding. Gunther gets out of the Beats of the Bodhran after 11 strikes. He goes near the barricade outside and is met with another round of the Beats of Bodhran on the barricade. After 15 strikes, the men go back in the ring.
Gunther sets Shaemus up for his signature power bomb, but could not get all of it. Shaemus landed on his tailbone more than anything. It wasn’t enough to keep Shaemus down though. SHaemus was able to hit Gunther with a powerbomb of his own from the top rope for a 2 count. The fall on his tail bone would prevent Shaemus from hitting his signature Brough Kick. This miss led to Gunther hitting a second power bomb on Shaemus, but it still wasn’t enough. Both men are seen talking smack to each other as they stand back up, leading to a clothesline from hell delivered by Gunther. Leading to a 3 count for the win.
Shayna Baszler Vs. Liv Morgan for the Smackdown Women’s Championship
Liv comes out the gate trying to keep the pace of the match fast. She knew going into the match that she had to dictate the pace due to having a bad arm and being in the ring with a submission specialist like Shayna. Liv goes for a move on the top rope, but gets pulled down by Shayna and takes damage to her bad arm. Blood is in the water now for the shark known as the submission magician.
Baszler starts to focus on the damaged arm, her only downfall is taking too long between each move to talk trash to Liv. Baszler can be heard telling Liv to quit like she always does. Liv finds a way to fight back from the top rope with a sunset flip powerbomb. Shayna kicks out of the pin attempt at 2, catching Liv in the Karakuna Clutch. Liv is able to escape. Both women get back on their feet and Liv hits Shayna with a Code Breaker followed by her finishing move ObLIVion for the victory.
Judgement Day Vs. Rey Mysterio and Edge
Finn Balor and Rey Mysterio start the match with a lock-up. Balor gets the early advantage. He begins throwing vicious strikes at Mysterio, taking him into the corner. Mysterio responds with strikes of his own, causing Balor to tag in Damian Priest. As soon as Priest gets in, he walks past Mysterio and points at Edge. Mysterio hears the crowd roar and tags in the Rated R Superstar.
Edge and Priest stare each other down in the middle of the ring and Priest hits Edge with a stiff right hand. Priest whips Edge into the corner, but Rey puts himself between Edge and the turnbuckle preventing Edge from taking the full impact. Finn Balor sees this and tries to do the same for his partner when Edge whips Priest into the corner. Edge outsmart Balor and turns Priest back into the near corner.
Rey Mysterio is the legal man for his team again and has his opponents on the outside of the ring. Rey runs to the far side rope and gets some assistance for an outside splash from his partner Edge. Rey gets Priest back in the ring to continue the match. Priest regains control thanks to the size difference. Rey is able to get back in control of the match to make the hot tag to Edge.
Finn Balor is able to withstand the brunt of the momentum including a 619 from Edge… that’s correct. A 619 from Edge. Balor sets Edge up for the Coupe De Gras, but Dominik distracts the referee, allowing Rey to knock Finn off the top rope. This leads to Rey hitting Balor with a 619 followed by Edge spearing him for the victory. During the celebration, Dominik kicks Edge below the belt and clotheslines his father, giving us the heel turn we have been waiting weeks for.
Seth Rollins Vs. Matt Riddle
The next match on deck is the highly emotional battle between Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle. As always, the visionary comes to the ring in unique gear, this time inspired by Elton John. Riddle is fired up from the opening bell. He attacks Rollins with full force with a flurry of strikes. His emotions get in his way causing the referee to step in and the two of them argue. The argument with the referee gives Rollins enough time to regroup outside of the ring.
The two men take turns getting every move in their arsenal out on each other. Riddle gets Rollins in multiple submission moves and is determined to choke him out for talking about his family. Rollins manages to find a way to get out of each hold at the last minute. Rollins comes close to putting Riddle a way with multiple pins, including one where he used Riddles own finishing move.
Both men get back to their feet, both exhausted. Rollins begins talking trash to Riddle again about his wife leaving him because of the loser that he is. Riddle is fueled by emotion one more time and starts clubbing Rollins with multiple strikes. Rollins rolls out of the ring, leading to Riddle chasing him. Riddle allows his anger get the best of him and grabs a chair. He misses with the swing against the table, allowing Rollins to slide back in the ring one more time. Rollins catches with a draping DDT like Riddles’ friend Randy would do.
Rollins plays to the crowd and digs deeper in the Randy Orton bag utilizing the signature taunt Orton does right before he hits the RKO. Riddle counters Rollins’ attempt at an RKO with a rear naked chokehold. Rollins gets out one last time and retreats out of the ring one last time causing Riddle to give chase again, but this time, Rollins catches him with a stomp. This wasn’t the finish for Rollins though. He climbs to the second rope and catches Riddle with another stomp for the victory.
Drew McIntyre Vs. Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Universal WWE Championship
McIntyre plays to his home field advantage by giving us a snippet from his original theme song before making his entrance. The crowd is so hype for McIntyre, they start singing “Oh Drew McIntyre”. Roman makes his entrance to surprising silence. The crowd is not booing nor cheering for him as he walks out alone. The bell rings and both men start circling the ring talking trash to each other.
Both men lock up in the center of the ring and after a brief stalemate, McIntyre back Reigns into the corner, asserting his dominance early. Roman walks out of the corner and locks in a side headlock on McIntyre. McIntrye sends Roman into the ropes and the two men clash, both going for a shoulder tackle. Neither man falls, but McIntyre comes out as the bigger man by walking Roman into the corner. Roman steps out of the ring to regroup.
Karrion Kross is sitting ringside and makes his presence known early. Kross threw a bottle of water at McIntyre giving Roman the opening he needs to take advantage of the match. Roman gets McIntyre down ringside and heads back in the ring looking for a count-out victory. McIntyre gets in before the 10 count but is met by the boots of Reigns. Reigns throws McIntyre into the steel post in the corner and as McIntyre gets back in the ring, he meets him with a Superman Clothesline.
Roman gets Mcintyre down again and starts talking trash to him and the crowd again. Both men trade suplex attempts in the middle of the ring, neither able to get the advantage. Reigns knocks McIntyre down again and requests a microphone in the middle of the match. As McIntyre starts to get up, Roman addresses the crowd “Cardiff… Acknowledge Me!!” As soon as he turns his attention back to McIntyre, he is met with the Glasgow Kiss. Both men are laid out by the headbutt.
McIntyre sets up for the Claymore, but before he can finish the countdown, Roman rolls out of the ring to avoid the attempt. Roman gets back in the ring and is met with a spine buster for a 2 count. They get back up and Reigns uses a Rock Bottom for a 2 count of his own. Roman goes for a Superman Punch and is countered by a Future Shock DDT. McIntyre begins the countdown for a second Claymore attempt but is countered by a Superman Punch for another 2 count.
Reigns goes for a Spear and is met with a kick. Roman bounces off the rope and ducks a clothesline from Mcintyre and lands a Spear this time. He only gets a 2 count once again. Reigns is frustrated at this point. He locks in the Guillotine on McIntyre but Drew forces him back into the corner to break it. Roman locks in a second Guillotine and is met with the same fate as before. Roman rolls out of the ring, but McIntyre gives chase and spears Reigns through the barricade. McIntyre goes for another Claymore and is met with another Spear. Reigns only gets a 2 count again. Roman argues with the referee and is hit with a Claymore to the back of the head and crashes into the referee.
With Reigns, McIntyre, and the referee down, Austin Theory comes sprinting down to the ring to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase. As he gets to the timekeeper area he is met with a right hand from Tyson Fury. Back in the ring, McIntyre hits Reigns with a Spear and Claymore. As we are expecting the 3 count to take place, putting an end to the 734-day title reign of the Tribal Chief, a hooded man shows up stopping the referee. The hood is removed and it is Solo Sikoa helping his cousin retain his titles.
In conclusion, this felt like it was a Wrestlemania. The crowd was huge, the matches were phenomenal, and the storytelling was top-notch.
Halftime Fan Banter 